Why did wavy fences before built before?

Direct – the shortest distance between two points. However, in England, the Netherlands and some other countries in the XVII-XVIII centuries began to appear the walls that were wriggled like serpentine. Why so suffer when laying and spend bricks wasted?

Surprisingly, builders thus saved. When the smooth wall is erected, the brick for the stability of the structure is put in two or more layers. If you put in one, the wall will not hold on without additional backups. At the same time, the wall, curved by the waves, will stand even during construction in one layer of bricks, as the resistance is attached to it. It turns out that the material on its construction requires less.

Secondly, wavy fences are useful to plants landed near them. They simultaneously protect them from the wind and continue to warm them after the sun village. To take advantage of this feature as much as possible, the builders tried to turn one side of the South wall.

In the Netherlands, such walls protected from adverse weather conditions of grapes, the cultivation of which residents of the country actively engaged in the XVIII century. Therefore, winding fences are also known as "fruit". One of them, for example, is surrounded by the estate of Boetenplates Berbis in Vorskhoten, South Holland. Any tourist can take a walk in the park and its greenhouses, paying for the entrance.

Another example of a wavy fence has been preserved in the Hague. He surrounds the estate, once belonging to the nobleman David Van Marlot. In those days, a garden in the style of Dutch classicism with straight tracks and sites was broken down at the house, and a fence was built.

Winding fences are also known as "fruit"

Most of all wavy fences – about fifty – preserved in the east of England. The longest is in the village of Easton and stretches from the former Merrorism home to the Anglican Church of All Saints, built in the 20th century. The overall length of the wall is 4 km, but since it is partially already destroyed, the longest continuous area is 1 km.

The third function of a strange fence with waves – defensive. In this case, bends can serve as protection for troops. At least it is true for fences in Limington. One of them was built during the Napoleonic wars at the beginning of the XIX century as a shelter from the French.

Snake forms were sometimes used in architecture of buildings. In the photo – Facade of the Church of St. Carla in four fountains in Rome.Outstanding Baroque Style Baroque Wizard France.

Another fence in Limington built a writer Dennis Whitley. Being a skillful bricklayer, he also turned out to be the original. After buying a house, he decided to build a wavy fence around. And since on weekdays mostly wrote, the construction was engaged in the weekend, which later wrote in the autobiography "Saturday with bricks and other days under the squall fire". The book was published in 1961.

There are examples of such fences and in the US. Moreover, sometimes their invention is mistakenly attributed to Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the country, which by profession was an architect. Developing a project for the construction of the Virgin University, he inscribed the wavy walls in the architecture of the complex. And if so, then the other wavy walls also "invented" he. In fact, Jefferson adapted on American Earth English construction style.

Build curved fences and now, but much less. They take more space than even, and in the modern world, where every meter is valued, it is a luxury.